The ball is now in Charles Wang’s court as to whether or not he wants play nice with those who have previously stood in his way. A Newsday report today details the plans of a group of four men, all of whom are a part of the Association for a Better Long Island, the group that funded the campaign against the Coliseum Referendum in the Summer of 2011. They also proposed a rejected project for the original Lighthouse development in 2005. The four men are Vincent Polimeni, Jan Burman, Ed Blumenfield and Mark Hamer.

The fate of the Islanders now rests in the hands of Long Island’s five biggest developers and how well they can cooperate. At this point, it certainly seems that any cooperation in a long shot.

Newsday reports that the group of four met with County Executive Ed Mangano last week to discuss their plans for development. Magano and Nassau County have yet to put out a request for proposal for the site, but the County Executive said he will announce his plans later this month. This group almost certainly has the inside track when a request for proposal goes out. Islanders owner Charles Wang does hold the right of first refusal on development at the site, which will expire along with the team’s lease in 2015.

Here’s the damning quote:

“The Hub with the Islanders and with the Coliseum is a needed thing on Long Island,” Blumenfeld said. “The Hub without the Islanders can be an economic engine also.”

The quartet’s effort is not contingent on the Islanders remaining in Nassau, Polimeni said.

The group does not have a plan yet — again, the County has yet to even put out a RFP — but it’s not hard to connect the dots on this one, with Newsday spoon-feeding us most of the dot connecting. A group that has opposed the Islanders from Day One of the Lighthouse Project is now meeting with the County Executive about developing the site, spewing quotes that they don’t necessarily have the Islanders as a part of that plan.

The three ring circus that is Nassau County plays another show and somewhere Barclays Center CEO Bruce Ratner is smiling.